Bowling alley appliance



Oct. 8. 1940- J. w. MQCAULEY BOWLING ALLEY APPLIANCE Filed July 22, 1939 2 Sheets-Sheep 1 VENTOR.

A TTORNEYS.

Oct. 8, 1940. J. w. MCCAULEY 1 2,217,256

BOWLING ALLEY APPLIANCE Filed July 22, 1959 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Jam mmczmz IN VEN TOR.

A TTORNEYS.

Patented Oct. 8, 1940 NITED STATES "rer orrroe BOWLING ALLEY APPLIANCE Application July 22, 1939, Serial No. 285,999

3 Claims.

This invention relates to bowling alley appliances, the primary object of the invention being to provide means for disinfecting bowling balls while they are in play, to the end that the balls will be freed of all germs after having been picked up by the pin boy and dropped onto the return track of the bowling alley, thereby preventing the spread of disease.

An important object of the invention is to provide a disinfecting device of this character which may be readily and easily installed on the usual bowling alley return tracks without the necessity of altering the track structure in order to mount the device.

Another important object of the invention is to provide a disinfecting device which will be automatically actuated by the Weight of the balls moving over the return track.

With the foregoing and other objects in view, which will appear as the description proceeds, the invention resides in the combination and arrangement of parts and in the details of construction hereinafter described and claimed, it being understood that changes in the precise embodiment of the invention herein described, may be made within the scope of what is claimed, without departing from the spirit of the invention.

Referring to the drawings:

Figure 1 is an elevational view illustrating a disinfecting device constructed inaccordance with the invention as mounted on the return track of a bowling alley.

Figure 2 is a longitudinal sectional view through the device.

Referring to the drawings in detail, the refer ence character 5 designates the ball return track of a bowling alley the portion of the ball return track illustrated being that section of the track adjacent to the bowling alley pit, where the bowling balls are placed by the pin boy, to be returned to the bowler.

In mounting the device, a section of the ball return track is cut away and supports such as indicated at 6 are positioned within the space adjacent to the ends of the cut-away portion of the track, These supports 6 are formed with openings for the reception of the rods 1 which are spaced apart and arranged in parallel relation with respect to each other, providing a continuation of the track, the ends of the rods being disposed in such relation with the return track as to permit a ball to move from the rods onto the track.

The reference character 8 designates the disinfecting housing, which in the present showing is cylindrical in formation, the ends of the hous- 10 I ing being closed by means of the spring-pressed closures 9 and it, the closures 9 being mounted so that they open inwardly under the weight of a bowling ball passing into the housing, while the closures ill are so mounted that they open out- 15 wardly at the discharge end of the housing, under the weight of the bowling ball passing therefrom.

As clearly shown, the housing is lined with a brush member II which is substantially tubular in formation, the bristles of the brush being arranged so that they will contact a ball of a predetermined diameter, to treat the entire surface of the ball, as it moves through the housing. The housing 8 issupported on the rods 1 which are shown as extending directly through the housing.

Supported directly under the housing 8, and arranged preferably adjacent to the discharge end thereof, is a container l2 into which the disinfecting liquid is placed, the container having a discharge pipe is extending upwardly therefrom, the extremity of the discharge pipe being disposed rea'rwardly so that disinfecting liquid discharged from the container, will be directed rearwardly into the path of travel of the ball. It will also be noted that due to the position of the discharge pipe or nozzle, the disinfecting liquid will be directed to all of the bristles of the brush member.

Extending from the container 12, is a pipe l4 that extends into the valve housing I5 in which the valve it operates, the valve l6 including a plunger stem which lies between the rails of the return track to be engaged by a. ball moving over the track. Connected with the valve housing i5 is a pipe ll that has connection with a compressed air supply tank not shown,'to the end that when the valve it is actuated to establish communication between the pipes l4 and I1, air will be forced into the container l2, picking up a quantity of the disinfecting material and discharging the material throughout the area of the housing, thoroughly saturating the bristles of the brush. It is obvious that as the ball moves through the bristles, it will be treated in such a 2 way that germs which may be picked up on the ball, willbe destroyed. I

Pivotally mounted on the valve housing '15,

is an arm l8, the inner end of'the arm being- A coiled spring indicated at I9 has connection with the arm l3 at one of its ends, the opposite end of the spring being secured tothe housing 8, at 20. As the arm is pulled by'the pin boy to force the ball through the housing, the arm Will be returned to its normal position,-when it, has been released.

From the foregoing it will be seen that due to the construction shown and described, the bowling balls will be thoroughly disinfected and all germs picked up by the ball due to handling by the pin boys or the bowlers, will be destroyed.

It will, of course, be understood that the disinfecting material will be of a character which will readily evaporate so that the balls will dry upon leaving the housing 8.

What is claimed is: v

1. The combination with the ball return track of a bowling alley, of a ball disinfecting device comprising a housing mounted within the track and through which bowling balls move, a brush member within the housing, the brush member being tubular to contact with the balls moving through the housing, means for spraying-disim' fecting material over the brush member to be picked up by the ball moving through the housing, said means comprising a valve operated by the weight of the ball moving over the track, and means for forcing balls through the housmg.

2. The combination with the ball return track of a bowling alley, of a ball disinfecting device comprising a tubular housing positioned adjacent to the track and in inclined position so that balls moving over the track may move through the housing, brushes within the housing, means for to apply disinfecting material to said balls, a-

nozzle positioned at the lower end of the housing and disposed to deliver disinfecting material towards the upper end of the housing saturating the bristles,za valve operated by the weight of the balls passing into the housing, and adapted to control the passage of disinfectant through the nozzle, and a lever extending into the housing and adapted to force balls through the housing, when the lever is operated.

JOHN W. MCCAULEY. 

